Trimming machine



Feb. 3, 1942. F. AsHwoRTH f` I TRIMMING MAHINE Filed April 18.,l -1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 to be removed, there Patented' Feb. 3, 1942 United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Bening of Flemington. N'. J., a corporation Jerseyl ofNew Applicants April is, 1940, serian. :30,351

' f 22 Claims.

This invention relates to methods of and macmnes for trimming shoe pms and n illustrated asembodiedinamachinefortrimmingtheupper margins of moccasin vamps.

In one method of making moccasins as disf closed in sppncauonserial No. 240,546, med November 15, 1938, in the names of Ashworth and Baker, the vamp is stretched over a last and 'held thereto by a clamp which surrounds the forepa'rt of the vamp. After the attachment of the clamp to the last, the upper margin of the vamp is trimmed with ai bevel cut to prepare the vamp for the attachment of a toe piece which closes the opening in the forepart of the vamp. This trimming operation is performed manually by the operator, the upper margin of the clamp forming a guide for a hand knife. In order to' secure an even cut with the proper bevel, this trimming operation is slow and requires a great amount of skill on the part of the operator. When the moccasin is lasted, bunches or wrinkles are usually formed at the toe portion of thevamp. The presence of these bunches increases the difficulty of ,trimming at the toe portion and `only with the exercise of considerable careand skill -is it possible to trim this portion of the vamp evenly. a

One object of this invention is the provision of an improved method of and machine for trimming the vamp of a moccasin which eliminates the diiculties heretofore encountered in securing an even trim, and reduces the skill and effort required by the operator, as well as the time required to complete a operation.

Asa feature of the invention, tension is applied to the trimmed surplus portion of the margin during the trimmingoperation, particularly while traversing the toe portion ofthe vamp, the application of this tension tending to smooth out the bunches or wrinkles at the margin of the vamp sc that trimming of the toe portion of the vamp is no more diiilcult than the trimming of the sides which maybe substantially devoid of bunches.

'in the illustrated embodiment of my invention, the work is fed hva pair of feed rolls which en gage opposite sides of the portion of the marginy being a guide associated with one of the feed rolls which is arranged to hook over the top margin of the clamp to guide the work relative th'ereto. A reciprocable knife adjacent to the guide and operating in shearing relation to one of the feed mils is arranged to trim the margin of the vamp along a line adjacent to and parallel to'theupper margin of the clamp.. the feed rolls that it holds the margin of the vamp at the proper angle relative to the knife during the trimmingoperation so that the stock will bev cut with the proper bevel. Additional rolls arranged to engage opposite sides of the trimmed surplus portion of the margin are rotated sufficiently fast to exert tension thereon to stretch out the bunches in the margin of the vamp around the toe portion as it is trimmed,

thus Veliminating the diiculties normally en' countered in trimming this portion of the moccasin vamp. Thesetensioning rolls are shaped to exert an upward pull on the surplus portion further to increase the stretching action on the bunches at the margin where the trimming takes place.

These and other features of the invention will now be described in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings. in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the head of a maa chine in which the invention is embodied;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the machine, portions thereof being broken away; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view of the workl engaging parts of the machine, illustrating a piece of work being trimmed thereby.

Thev machine is shown to comprise a base in to the upper end of which at one side thereof yis securedby screws I4 a feed roll supporting meinber J2. The rearward portion of the member i2 has a bearing portion I6 (Fig. 2) in which is journaled one end of a drive shaft I8. The opposite end of the drive shaft I8 is journaled in a bearing 20 formed at the lower rearward end of aY framemember 22 secured to the opposite side of the base it and extending above the member i2. A pulley 24 is secured to the drive shaft IS and is connected by a belt 2B to a suitable driving means.

In the forward end of the roll support i2 is journaled a vertically extending shaft 30 (Fig. i) to the upper end of which is secured a frusto- Aconical feed roll 32. The lower end of the shaft gear 44 which engages with worm tee`th 4G (Fig.

2) cut in the periphery of the drive shaft I8.

A second frusto-conical feed roll I8 is carried by the lower end of a vshaft I0 journaled in a bearing sleeve 52. This bearing sleeve is in turn 'meguide is sa capede'lativ'e to y tol a treadle (not shown) rounds the treadle rod 16 and acts between la colpivoted by means of a laterally and rearwardly extending arm 54, on a. shaft 56 extending transversely across the upper forward portion of the machine and journaled in bearings 58 and 68 The shaft 56 carries a pulley 68 connected by a -belt I8 with `a pulley 'I2 on the drive shaft I8. The feed rolls 32 and 48 are thus rotated in timed relation and are arranged to rotate at the f same peripheral speeds, The pivotal mounting of the vbearing sleeve 52 in which the shaft 58 is journaled on the shaft 56- permits rotative movement of the bearing without' disengaging the gears 62 and 64t0 permit the feed roll 48 to be moved away from the feedroll 32. -The rearward end of the arm 54 connected to the bearing member 52 is 'connected by a treadle rod 16 A spring 'I8 surlar 88 mountedthereon and a plate 82 secured to the base I8 ,to urge4 the treadle rod 'I6 upwardly which in turn urges the feed roll 48 toward the feed roll 32. Upward movement of the treadle rod "I6 and consequently movementof the feed roll 48 Itoward the feed roll 32, is limited by a. collar 84 secured to the treadle rod and larranged to engage the under side of the plate 82. 'I'he feed roll 48 is thus normally maintained in feeding relation with the feed roll 32 but may be moved away therefrom by depressing the treadle in order to facilitate presentation of the work to the machine or to interrupt the feeding movement whenever desired.

timed relation with the feed rolls 32 and 48 to sever the surplus stock from the margin of the moccasin vamp -as it is fed thereby.

The mechanism thus far described will effectively trim the surplus stock along the top margin of the vamp at the sides thereof where the material is substantially free of bunches. In trimmingaround the toe portion, however, it is kdesirable to apply a tension to` the surplus trimmed portion of the vamp to smooth out the leather at the point of trimming. Accordingly, la pair of rolls I|8 and H2 are arranged beyond the knife 92 in the direction 'of feed to grip op- In order to guide the work relative to the feed rolls, a guide 86 is mounted below the feed roll 32. This guide is formed at the upper end of a member 88 secured byscrews 98 to the forward end of the roll supporting member 2. The guide 86 as indicated in Fig. 3 is'arranged to hook over the upper margin of a clamp C by which the vamp V of a moccasin is secured to a last L.

The work is trimmed by a knife 92 held by a plate 94 to the upper surface of a slide 96. The

-plate 94 by which the knife is secured to the slide is slotted in its under surface to receive the knife and maintain it in the proper angular relationship relative to the slide. In order to permit the knife to be adjusted laterally relative to the guide 86, the plate 94 is secured to the slide by a screw 98 threaded into the slide and'passingl through an elongated opening in the plate. The slide 96 is reciprocated so that the knife 92 may sever the work with a draw cut, the lower sur# face of the feed roll 32 forming a shearing surface across which the cutting edge of the knife moves.

The slide 96 is supported in a slideway formed by the adjacent surfaces of the roll supporting member I2, the frame member 22, 'and the base I8, The rearward end of the slide 96 is pivotally connected to a strap |88 surrounding an eccentric |82 mounted-on the drive shaft |8 between the bearings I6 and 28. Thus as the shaft I8 is rotated the knife 92 will be reciprocated in posite sidesv of the surplus material as/shown in Fig. 3. 'The work contacting portions of these rolls are drivenat a somewhat higher peripheral Ashape of the rolls I'I8 and ||2, thesurplus material engaged thereby tends to ride upwardly between the rolls, thus increasing the pull exerted on the material adjacent to the knife and further facilitating the trimming of the vamp.

The roll ||8 is mounted on an upwardly and rearwardly inclined shaft ||4 journaled in a bearing sleeve ||6. AThe upper end of the shaft I I4 carries a worm gear I I8 driven from a. worm |28 mounted on a shaft |22 journaled in the upper part of the machine. The shaft |22 has secured thereto a pulley |24 connected by a belt |26 with a pulley |28 fast on'the drive shaft I8.

The feed roll I|2 is arranged to be moved toward and away from the roll ||8. The feed roll ||2 is mounted at the lower end of a shaft |38 extending upwardly and rearwardly of the machine, this shaft being journaled in a bearing sleeve |32 having an arm |34y (Fig. 2) terminating in a bearing |35 which surrounds the shaft |22. A worm gear |36 carried by the upper end of the shaft |38 is also driven from the worm |28 so that the feed rolls I |8 and ||2 rotate constantly'at the same speeds.. Since the |bearing sleeve |32 is pivotally mounted on the shaft |22, the roll I |2 maybe moved away from the roll ||8 without interfering with the drive from the shaft |22 to the shaft I-'38 on which the roll I|2 is carried.

The feed roll I2 is normally maintained out of driving engagement with the roll I|8 and is arranged to be moved toward the roll II8 by the operator when desired. A treadle rod |48 (Fig. 1) is connected at |42 to the bearing sleeve |32 and is urged upwardly by a spring |44 acting between the base I8 of the machine and a collar |46 secured to the treadle rod |48. By stepping on a treadle (not shown) the treadle rod |48 may be moved downwardly to move the roll I|2 down into position indicated in Fig. 3 to grip the surplus material trimmed from the margin of the vamp and to exert a pull on the material being trimmed at the point where the trimming is taking place. The `surplus stock will tend to ride upwardly between the rolls |8 and I I2 by reason of the ,conical shapes of the rolls so as to increase the effectiveness of the tension applied to the surplus material.

As indicated in Fig.` 3 the knife 92 trims the vamp with a beveled cut along a line parallel to and Vslightly above the upper edge of the clamp C. After the material has thus been trimmed. ce-

f portion having a surface. arranged ment is applied to the trimmed edge of the vamp and the toe piece which is to form the #top of the forepart of the moccasin is secured thereto by the cement. Since the `vamp, after it has been trimmed, extends slightly above the top margin of the clamp, thereis less danger of any cement being applied to the clamp when the cement is applied to the trimmed edge of the vamp than if the vamp were to be trimmed flush with the top edge of the clamp.

By theuse of this apparatus it is possible to trim rapidly the vamp of a moccasin with a clean even cut,. beveled at an angle which is readily maintained uniform, to facilitate the subsequent attachment of a toe piece thereto. The tensioning rolls H and H2 may-be used or not as desired and ordinarily will be used when trimming portions which have been bunched during the lasting operation, as around the toe portions. It may be desirable however to use these rolls at all times even when trimming along the sides of a vamp. y

Having thus described my invention, 'what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is: A

1. In a machine for trimming the vamp of a moccasin secured to a last by a clamp surrounding the vamp, a gage against which/the upper margin of the clamp may be held to guide the work, said gage including a portion arranged to project between the clamp and the vamp, said to support the vamp for the trimming operation, and means adjacent to said gage arranged to trim the vamp along a line parallel to and adjacent to the top margin of the clamp.,

2. In a machine'for trimming the vamp of a moccasin secured to a last by a clamp surrounding the vamp, a gage against which the upper margin of the clamp may be held to guide the work, said gage including a portion arranged to project between the clamp and the vamp, said portion having a surface arranged to support the vamp for the trimming operation, and means for trimming the vamp at an acute an'gle with respect to the sides of the vamp, said trimming means being mounted adjacent to said gage and arranged to trim the vamp along the line parallel to and adjacent to the 3. In a machine for trimming the vamp of a moccasin secured to a last by a clamp surrounding the vamp, a gage against which the upper margin of the clamp may be held to guide the work, said gage including a portion arranged to project between the clamp and the vamp, means adjacent to said gage arranged to trim the vamp along a line parallell to and adjacent to the top margin of the clamp, and means engaging the untrimmed marginal portion of the vamp for feeding the vamp by the trimming means. l

4. In a machine for trimming'the vamp of a moccasin secured to a last by a clamp surrounding the vamp, 'a gage 'against which the upper vmargin of the clamp may be held to guide the work, said gage including a portion arranged to project between the clamp and the vamp, means adjacent to said gage arranged to trim the vamp along a line parallel to and adjacent to the top margin of the clamp, trimmed portion of the vamp for feeding the vamp by the trimming means, and means for applying tension to the surplus stock after it has been trimmed.

5. In a machine for trimming the vamp of a moccasin secured to a last by a clamp surroundtop margin ofthe clamp.

means engaging the unsuillcient to exert a tension upon ing the vamp, a gage against which the upper margin of the clamp may be held to guide the work, said gage including a portion arranged to project between the clamp and the vamp, a pair of feed rolls arranged to engage opposite sides of the untrimmed portion of the vamp projecting beyond the clamp, said feed rolls being located adjacent to said gage, means positioned adjacent to said gage for trimming the vamp along a line parallel to and adjacent to the top margin of the clamp, and a pair of driven rolls arranged to engage opposite sides of the `trimmed surplus portion of the vamp for applying tensionthereto.

k6. In a machine for trimming the vamp of a moccasin secured to a last by a clamp surrounding the vamp, a gage against which the upper margin of the clamp may be held to guide the l work, said gage including a portion arranged to project between the clamp and the vamp, a pair of feed rolls arranged to engage opposite sides of the untrimmed portion of the vamp projecting beyond the clamp, said `feed rolls being located adjacent to said gage, means positioned adjacent to said gage for trimming the vamp along a line parallel to and adjacent to the top margin of the clamp, and a pair of driven rolls arranged to engage opposite sides of the trimmed surplus portion of the vamp for applying tension thereto, said last-mentioned rolls being conical with the large diameter of the rolls spaced above the line Vof trimming.

tween said feed rolls, a pair of driven rolls ar ranged to engage opposite sides of the surplus margin of the vamp' after it has been trimmed, and means for imparting to the work-engaging portions of said second pair of rolls a peripheral speed greater than that of the feed rolls. 8. In a machine for trimming the upper margin of the vamp of a moccasin, a pair of feed rolls arranged to engage opposite sides of the upper margin of the vamp, means for trimming the margin of the vamp being fed by said rolls, a pair of driven conical rolls arranged to engage opposite sides of the surplus trimmed margin of the vamp, the smaller ends of the conical rolls being in line with the feed rolls, and means for imparting to said conical rolls a peripheral speed portion of the margin. Y

9. In a machine for trimming the upper margin of the vamp of a moccasin, a pair of feed rolls arranged to engage opposite sides of the upper margin of the vamp, trimming means adjacent to said feed rolls for trimming the margin of the vamp after the work has passed between said feed rolls, a pair of driven rolls arranged to engage opposite sides of the surplus margin of the vamp afterit has been trimmed, means for imparting to said second pair of rolls a peripheral speed' greater than that of the feed rolls, and mea'ns for separating said second pair of rolls sufliciently to render them inoperative.

10. In a' machine vfor trimming the vamp of a. moccasin, feeding means arranged to engage the upper margin of the vamp, means for trimming the margin beyond the point of engagement of the feeding means with the vamp, means for applying a tension to the surplus trimmed porthe trimmed tion of the vamp, said tensioning means comprising a pair of driven rolls engaging opposite sides of the trimmed portion and rotating at a sufficiently high speed to impart a tension to the trimmed -portion of the vamp, said rolls being shaped to exert a heightwise pull on the trimmed margin relative to thesides of the vamp.

11. In 'a machine forl trimming the vamp of a moccasin secured to a4 last by a clamp surrounding the vamp, a conical feed roll arranged to engage the portion of the vamp extending beyond the upper margin of the clamp, a gage adjacent to the periphery of said feed roll against which the upper margin of the clamp may be held to guide the work, saidv guide including a portion arranged to extend between the clamp and vthe vamp, a second feed roll arranged to hold the margin of the vamp against the first feed roll and movable toward and away therefrom, a knife mounted for reciprocation in shearing relation to the back of said first feed roll and arranged to engage the margin'of the vamp adjacent to the guide for trimming the vamp along a line close to the upper margin of the clamp, a second pair of feed rolls arranged to engage the trimmed surplus portion of the vamp, and means for driving said second pair of feed rolls fast enough to exert a tension on the margin of the vamp as it is being trimmed.

12. In a machine of the class described, a cutter, means for feeding a work piece past said cutter to be trimmed thereby, a pair of rolls for engaging opposite sides of thetrimmed surplus portion of the work, rotatable shafts supporting said rolls, a drive shaft, a worm carried by said drive shaft, worm gears carried by said rollsupporting shafts engaging said worm at opposite sides thereof, and means for pivoting one of said roll-supporting shafts about the axis of said drive shaft to vary the relative positions of said rolls.

`13. In a machine of the class described, a. conical feed roll rotatable about a substantially vertical axis, a cutter operably associated therewith for trimming a work piece as it is fed by said feed roll, a second feed roll cooperating with said first feed roll to feed the work, a pair of auxiliary feed rolls arranged to engage the trimmed surplus portion of the work in a plane passingsubstantially through the work-engaging portion of said first feed roll, means for moving said second feed roll away from said first feed roll, and means for varying the distance between said auxiliary feed rolls to render them effective or ineffective toI feed the trimmed surplus portion of the work,

14. In a machine of the class described, a conical feed roll rotatable about a substantially vertical axis, a cutter operably associated therewith for trimming a Work piece as it is fed by said feed roll, a second feed roll cooperating with said 15. In a trimming machine, a feed roll mounted for rotation about a substantially vertical axis, a second feed roll arranged to hold a work piece against said first feed roll, a cutter for trimming a work piece as it is fed between said feed rolls, an upwardly extending shaft supporting said second feed roll, a worm gear at the upper end of first feed roll to feed the work, a pair of auxiliary feed rolls arranged'to engage the trimmed surplus portion of the work in a plane passing substantially through the work-engaging portion of said first feed roll, said auxiliary feed rolls having roughened conical work-engaging surfaces arranged to exert a heightwise pull on the trimmed surplus portion of the work, means for moving said second feed roll away from said first feed roll, and means for varying the distance between said auxiliary feed rolls to render them effective or ineffective to feed the trimmed surplusportion of the work.

said shaft, a drive shaft at right angles to said upwardly extending shaft and extending generally in the direction of feed, a worm on said drive shaft engaging said worm gear, and means for mounting said upwardly extending shaft for pivotal movement about the axis of said drive shaft.

16. In a trimming machine, a conical feed roll mounted for rotation about a substantially vertical axis, a second feed roll arranged to hold a work piece against said first feed roll, a cutter for trimming a work piece as it is fed between said feed rolls, an upwardly extending shaft supporting said second feed roll, a worm gear at the upper `endof said shaft, a drive shaft at right angles to said upwardly extending shaft, a worm on said drive shaft engaging said worm gear, means for mounting said upwardly extending shaft for pivotal movement about the axis of said drive shaft, a pair of auxiliary feed rolls arranged to engage the trimmed surplus portion of the work, upwardly extending shafts supporting said auxiliary feed rolls, Worm gears at the upper ends of said last-named shafts, a drive shaft carrying a worm located between said worm gears and meshing therewith, and means for mounting one of said auxiliary feed roll supporting shafts for pivotal movement about the axis of said last-named drive shaft.

17. The method of trimming the vamp of av .as the material is being cut.

18. The method of trimming the vamp of a moccasin secured to a last by a clamp surrounding the vamp which comprises cutting the surplus material from the top margin of the vamp along a line 'parallel to the upper edge of the clamp and exerting on the trimmed surplus portion of the vamp a lengthwise pull having a heightwise component relative to the sides of the vamp as the material is being cut.

19. The method of trimming thevamp of a'. moccasin secured to a last by a clamp surrounding the vamp which comprises guiding the work by the upper edge of the clamp past a trimming knife and simultaneously exerting a pull on the trimmed surplus portion of the vamp to smooth out wrinkles.

2,0. The method of trimming the vamp of a moccasin secured to a last by a clamp surrounding the vamp which comprises feeding the work past a trimming knife and maintaining the vamp at a predetermined heightwise and angular position relative to the knife by the engagement of the clamp with a guide. v

21. The method of trimming the vamp of a. moccasin secured to a last by a clamp surrounding the vamp which comprises feeding the work the clamp with a guide, and during the feeding v ing the vamp which comprises feeding the work past a trimming knife and maintaining the vampv at a predetermined heightwise and angular position relative to the knifeby the engagement of the clamp with a guide, and during the feeding` movement exerting on the trimmed surplus portion of the vamp a strong lengthwise pull having a. heightwise component relative to the sides of the vamp.

FRED ASHWORTH. 

